A few weeks back it was general consensus that as low as 33 points might be enough for safety however with at least 4 of the 5 teams starting to pick up form could we be looking at the more traditional 40 for safety? Personally I think that Bolton are big favourites to stay up now as they are picking up points and have very nice run in compared to the rest of us. Wolves are clearly doomed and I really dont think Wigan can sustain their recent excellent level of performance. Blackburn are our serious rivals now and Monday nights game with Utd may prove telling, I have a feeling they are about to crash and burn under the pressure of expectation as it was only a week or two ago everyone was saying they were as good as safe. If they lose they drop into the relegation zone. Also a Utd win will see them 5 points clear at the top and just maybe could lead to a bit of complaceny against us on Sunday (we can but hope). As for us, none of us really would have had us down for wins against both liverpool and Arsenal and probably would have accepted 4 points from our last 3 games. Could the tide be turning? we havent really had a good run of form all season, maybe we are saving the best for last?
The results did not go for us today, but I am sure our win will have knocked confidence more at Wigan, Blackburn and Bolton. Still in our own hands with our goal difference.....
If we can beat Stoke, Swansea and West Brom and get at least a point against one of the others we will stay up IMO Will be very hard but definitely possible
If we're points ahead of Wigan on the last day of the season and level with Blackburn I feel it could be job done! If we put in today's performance against Swansea, Stoke and at West Brom I think we'll be fine. We can't afford any more performances like we had last Saturday at Sunderland, nuff said! I also think MH might finally have found his strongest team and that's without Cisse!
I did the predictor and had us needing a win at City to stay up, I had us down to lose against Arsenal though so I think that makes us safe with a week to go. We must beat Swansea and Stoke and nick a win elsewhere to do it. I have it that 35 points will keep us up on GD level with Blackburn and Wigan
If we can perform at the level we hit today we will stay up! It's the first real sign today that we have the fight in us and we did it from the start, THAT is the key...
It's so hard to predict how many points will keep us up, with some of the others getting good results too! I'm going for 35.....maybe!!
We need to keep the focus on the next game and next game only How many times after a good result have we mapped out a new landscape only to fall flat on our faces in the very next game? Great performance and result today; let's approach the next game with the same seriousness and will. Come on you R'ssssssss
No point calculating hypotheses. That creates expectation which invariably ends in disappointment. All we can do is hope. Hope that we can keep developing character and improving as a unit. Hope we can keep things tight and take our chances going forward. Hope that we can hold on to slender leads, minute by agonising minute like we did today and go on to win games. Hope Villa continue their slump and add another rung to the safety ladder. Hope the others slip up against the lesser lights and lose the will to survive. Hope the points we end up with are at least one more than we need. Hope. It's like water... essential to life!
This may not be beyond us IF Chelsea can beat Benfica they will be playing their semi final a few days after playing us which will be one of the biggest games in their history. Lets hope their heads will be turned as they will not want to pick up injuries they could play a weaked team.
I've been saying it for weeks and today's results only enhanced my belief that it'll be us and Bolton that survive. Blackburn have got a couple of good results recently but it won't last, I'd be surprised if they picked up another 6 before the end of the season. Our mates down the road will do us a favour on the last day, I think they'll need to win to take Arsenal's place in 4th, who'll be throwing it away at West Brom.
I make Wolves already doomed. Wigans run in is as tough as ours. Boltons is the easiest. I calculate we need 3 wins to pip Blackburn depending on goal difference. 10 points should be ok. ie 38 Swansea Stoke and West Brom should be winnable on todays improved form and spirit. Point against yids maybe or a win would be sweet if we can slip Arry an envelope for Rosie 47.
Slightly off topic, but why wasn't Vermaelen given a second yellow card for his blatant foul on Mackie just before Diakite scored? Ref let the play go on, we scored and then he should have sent the Gooner off!
Very difficult to tell now as bolton and wigan are on a bit of a run. After home victories over Liverpool and arsenal, we have to believe we can win our remaining home games. Pick up a point at WBA and we could be safe. The title will be decided by the time we get to etihad so you never know. Just hope we carry on playing like this because the Liverpool game was a bit of a false dawn. We were rubbish v sunderland and can't afford to make the same mistake. Cisse's suspension could be a blessing in disguise as we looked a lot more balanced today.
